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Does this happen to you?


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I hate when I am quilting, run out of bobbin thread, refill the bobbin and start quilting (I have an IQ so it does the quilting). Then I advance the quilt and see that the bobbin tension messed up and you got this whole row of ugly stitches. Am I taking it out? Hell no! It's my quilt for my spare bed and it's going to be on the under side. If it was a customer quilt, yes I would take it out. But it's mine and I am not taking it out, LOL! I'm too lazy. Has this happen to any of you?

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Bummer, Hitomi!

Just to educate the other quilters out there who may see the same thing on their quilt, I'm offering a couple of quick tips:

1. When you see that extreme "eyelashing" on the back, (especially after a bobbin change), it could be that the bobbin thread tail was caught in the bobbin area, yet still able to "feed". A common problem happens when the thread tail gets pinched in the lever used to remove the bobbin case, or gets caught behind the bobbin or bobbin case when snapping it in.

When you see eyelashes on the quilt, whichever side they appear on....that side's tension is too tight, or the other side is too loose. If you see them on the back of the quilt, the bobbin thread is pulling much harder than the top. (That could either be from the simple tension setting, or from getting caught as earlier mentioned.) It's also possible that the top thread escaped the tension disks or a thread guide, and therefore isn't pulling as hard as it should.

If you see them on the top of the quilt, then the top thread tension could be too tight.

2. If the bobbin was inserted correctly, then the culprit may be the top thread path. But the top thread may also be "caught" somewhere (e.g. looped an extra time around the rear thread guide or pigtail guide). Or the bobbin thread may have escaped the tension finger on the outside of the bobbin case, putting no tension on the bobbin. (Or the bobbin tension finger on the outside of the case may have lint build up underneath it, putting no tension on the thread. Slide the corner of a business card underneath the finger to make sure it's clean.)

If you check all of those "nuisance" spots and the thread path for both the top and bobbin, and still have the eyelashes, tighten the tension on the side of the quilt OPPOSITE of the lashes (and you may need to loosen the tension on the same side as the lashes to balance the stitch.)

This won't make tearing out those stitches easier (IF you decide to do that:) :) ) but maybe it will help someone who has the same problem to know how to address it.

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And sometimes when it does this and you wash the quilt it will pull them in tighter so they're not nearly so noticeable and I shouldn't admit to how I know that. LOL. Oh God, I think I'm feeling better. Well, maybe a little light headed. LOL.

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It looks great; all the accessories you made sure show it off!

I have learned to pull on the new bobbin thread after inserting the case to make sure it's not caught; I never got the eyelashes like you did but broken threads, etc. right off the bat.

Your quilt is awesome!

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I wouldnt rip it out either if it was mine ,I quilt because I enjoy it ,when these little flaws happen it gives the quilt more character , now if I had to rip it out then it would no longer be enjoyable ,when I give them away with flaws I get no complaints . I love your quilt by the way ,great job on the bedding set !

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I haven't had this happen since I started using magna glide bobbins. Still, each time I replace the bobbin, I quilt a few inches, and then stop and look under the quilt. If I'm going to have to rip, it had better be only a few inches.

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Thanks again Dawn for your wonderful explanation and hints. You have no idea how much you help us all, even those of us who have been here awhile.

Hitomi the quilt is lovely even with eyelashes, that just gives it character. Do you know if the pattern you used to quilt it is available in paper?

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